BC Emergency Health Services will begin implementing a number of strategies to boost resources and staffing in the coming weeks. The changes will help them to get to medical emergencies more rapidly as they continue to respond to the public health emergency.

B.C. paramedics and dispatchers will be getting much-needed support from the provincial government in the face of the province’s opioid overdose crisis, with a $5-million injection of funding for BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS), Health Minister Terry Lake announced today.

Over the last week, B.C. had the highest number of overdose-related 911 calls ever recorded. This past week saw a particularly high spike in the Lower Mainland. Between Nov. 17 and 23, 2016, BCEHS paramedics responded to 494 suspected overdose/poisoning events in Greater Vancouver, of which 271 occurred in the Downtown Eastside and 81 in Surrey.

“Our paramedics are feeling tremendous pressure as they respond to this public health emergency on the frontlines. We know they have saved thousands of lives in this crisis, and today we are making sure they are supported in this daunting task with needed resources,” said Lake. “We are working with many others including harm reduction and addictions experts, police, the coroner and the federal government to find solutions, but in the meantime, we must make sure patients get the care they need.”

BCEHS will begin implementing a number of strategies to boost ambulance resources and staffing in the coming weeks, including:

Placing stationary ‘medical support units’ in some high overdose locations including the downtown eastside of Vancouver and a high overdose area of Surrey. These special units will act as a resupply station for paramedics, as well as provide care information and triage to those using drugs. It’s anticipated this community-level work will be done in partnership with the BC Centre for Disease Control and other partners involved in the province’s Joint Task Force on Overdose Response.

More flexible modes of transportation. Paramedics will be using bicycles and ATVs in high overdose areas to respond to medical emergencies more rapidly. Bikes and ATVs are often used by teams of paramedics in areas that are difficult to navigate through in an ambulance.

More supervisory support to assist paramedics and dispatchers with triaging and more efficient patient handover at busy hospital emergencies, so ambulances can get back on the road more quickly to respond to other calls.

Expanding the Vancouver Dispatch Centre’s ability to monitor and triage complex cases to further support paramedics.

“We know this crisis has affected many families and communities and that it is also of great concern to paramedics and dispatchers,” said BCEHS executive vice president Linda Lupini. “This funding will allow BCEHS to make sure we can respond to the unprecedented number of overdose patients adequately.”

Since the health emergency was declared in B.C. this spring, BCEHS has joined efforts with the Ministry of Health, the BC Centre for Disease Control, the BC Coroners Service, police, other first responders, health authorities and non-profit organizations to find and act upon solutions to the overdose crisis.

Premier Christy Clark appointed a Joint Task Force on Overdose Response in July 2016, headed by provincial health officer Dr. Perry Kendall and director of police services Clayton Pecknold, to provide expert leadership and advice to the Province on additional actions to prevent and respond to overdoses in B.C. As part of the response, law enforcement is working at all levels of government to interdict the supply of toxic drugs, and health officials are working to address the immediate and longer-term health needs. To that end, B.C. is expanding access to life-saving naloxone, supervised consumption services, and opioid addiction treatment medications and services.

Under the task force, the Province launched a broad campaign to alert people of how to prevent, identify and respond to overdoses, and is investing in research, education and training through the new B.C. Centre on Substance Use, to ensure addiction treatment is effective and evidence-based. Ongoing work to support and treat British Columbians with substance use issues is also a key part of the province’s response. Government committed to meet the goal of opening 500 new substance use treatment beds in 2017. In the past two years, more than 220 new beds have been opened as part of this commitment to ensure better access to appropriate substance use supports.

Fighting the overdose crisis. BC RCMP and the Chinese Ministry of Public Safety are working together to stem the production and export of fentanyl and other highly dangerous synthetic opioids to Canada.

The Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Morris and Minister of Health Terry Lake issued the following statement on the overdose crisis:

“We are pleased to report today the RCMP and Chinese Ministry of Public Safety announced their commitment to work together to co-ordinate enforcement efforts against illegal fentanyl trafficking into Canada. China is also co-operating with our federal government to make precursors to fentanyl controlled substances under Chinese law.

“This is a critical step that aligns with B.C.’s advocacy in our fight against the overdose crisis, and we welcome this swift action. Provincial and local enforcement will remain critical, but this is a step forward. We look forward to the same level of commitment from the federal government on a national strategy to ban pill presses and precursors.

“Premier Christy Clark was in Ottawa last week, calling on the federal government to assert diplomatic pressure on China to stem the production and export of fentanyl and other highly dangerous synthetic opioids. We also want to ensure RCMP has the proper supports in place to strengthen bilateral law enforcement and interdiction efforts between these countries. Federal officials assured us they are committed to act on recommendations brought forward by the Province.

“We understand discussions to formalize joint investigations between the RCMP and China will begin next week during the ongoing Canada-China Working Group meeting between the two agencies. We believe that by collaborating with our international and federal partners, enforcement will ultimately be stronger across all our provincial and international borders.

“The overdose crisis is a complex issue that no single tool will solve. That’s why B.C. established the Joint Task Force on Overdose Response, which is tackling the overdose crisis across many fronts. Law enforcement is working at all levels of government to interdict the supply of toxic drugs, and health officials are working diligently to address the immediate health needs. To that end, B.C. is expanding access to life-saving naloxone, supervised consumption services, and opioid addiction treatment medications and services.

“We launched a broad campaign to alert people of how to prevent, identify and respond to overdoses. We are investing in research, education and training through the new B.C. Centre on Substance Use, to ensure addiction treatment is effective and evidence-based. And we remain firmly committed to improving the system of mental health and substance use services, including our commitment to create 500 new substance use beds, which we will reach in 2017 as promised.”